Desiccating apparatus.



W. R. ULAYTON.

DBSICGATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1913.

1,1 30,890. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

52 Q t 7 Z9 5J I THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHDTGLITHO.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

WILLIAM R. CLAYTON, BARBERTON, OHIO.

DESICCATING APPARATUS.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed May 12, 1913. Serial No. 767,064.

To all 'w'lzom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. CLAY- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barberton, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desic'cating Apparatus, of which the'following is a specification.

The present invention relates'in general to means for preserving dead bodies and has more particular reference to a desiccating apparatus by means of which the moisture may be removed from the bodies so that they may be maintained in a state -of'preservation without disintegration or putrefaction.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a casket of improved construction adapted to contain a receptacle provided with drying material by means of which the moisture is withdrawn from the air surrounding the body in the casket.

Another object is to provide a drying chamber outside the casket and an air pump with suitable connections whereby a closed circuit of air maybe maintained through said casket and said drying chamber.

A further object is to provide an'overflow for the drying receptacle within the casketwhich will conduct surplus liquid from the receptacle to a closed container withoutadmitting air to the casket. A

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the followingdescription when" considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawingsFigure 1 is a transverse sectional view through the drying chamber and pump; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the casket; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the casket, drying chamber and Pu p Y On the drawings reference character 5 indicates a casket adapted to contain the body to be preserved. The casket is pro-' vided'a limited distance above its bottom' with a perforated support 6 designed to sup port a body within the casket and form a capable of withdrawing the moisture from obtained by the use of sulfuric acid. In the present instance I have shown two receptacles spaced apart longitudinally and the air in the casket may be employed, but I have found that very good results may be connected by an overflow pipe 8 through which surplus'liquid may flow from one receptacle to the other.

In order to prevent the receptacles from overflowing as the quantity of liquid increases by absorption of moisture from the air, I have provided an overflow pipe 9 including an air-trapped siphon 11 through which the surplus liquid may overflow to a closed container 12 located outside the casket. To render possible the withdrawal of all of the liquid from the receptacle 7 when desired, I have provided an air pipe 13 equipped with a hand valve 14 which, when opened, permits the liquid to be drawn off from "the receptacle.

' In order that the drying receptaclesmay be introduced into the casket I have provided one end of the casket beneath the support 6 with an opening which may be sealed with a permanent closure'before and after the desiccation has taken place and I have,-

screws 16, or other preferred fastening means;

In some instances the desiccation may be tainedin the receptacle 7, but I have found that it is preferable to hasten the desiccation bymaintaining a circulation of air in the receptacle by mechanism which I will now describe.

The temporary closure 15 is permanently equipped with an inlet pipe 17 adapted to extend between the'drying receptacles 7 substantiallyto the opposite end of the casket andalso with an outlet pipe 18 terminating just inside the closure. vided a circulating and drying means in the form of an air pump 19 operated. by a suitable motor 20 and a drying chamber 21 equipped with suitable air-drying material I have also pro 1 carried on solely by means of the drier con- 1A pipe 28 communicating with'the air pump 19 is adapted to be connected with the outer end of the outlet pipe 18. The exhaust air from the air pump is delivered by a pipe 2 1 into the drying chamber 21 from which, after passingthrough the dry ing material, it is conducted by a pipe 25,

adapted to be connected with the outer end driven through the instrumentality of a belt:

29 from the motor 20.

It will be manifest that a closed circuit of air is established from the casket through the air pump,the drying chamber 21 and the return pipes 25 and 17 to the casket whereby a continuous circulation of air may be maintained. During the operation acportion of the moisture is removed from the air by the dryingmaterial in the receptacle 7 and the remainder of the moisture is removed by the drying material 22 in the drying chamber 21. In order that the liquid drying material which overflows from the receptacle 7 into the container 12 may not absorb moisture from the surrounding atmosphere, it is essential that the container be sealed. The air displaced from the container by the in-' fiow of drying liquid from the receptacle 7 is conducted througha pipe-31 to the drying chamber 21, a liquid seal 32 being provided in this pipe to prevent the air from circulating from the drying chamber therethrough into the container 12 when the pump and drying chamber are not in use.

In the process of desiccating the body it is usually preferable, to maintain a constant circulation of air by means of the pumpwa number of hours to remove the greater part of the moisture from the body, after which, the pump may be stopped and the drying material in the receptacles 7 may be relied upon to remove the remaining moisture from the body. The moisture which is collected in the drying chamber 21 may be drawn ofl' throughthe valve 33, when necessary.

While I "have shown a single casket connected with a drying apparatus, it will be manifest that my present system is adapted for use in connection with a number ofcaskets and my present invention contemplates the piping of a mausoleum so that the pipes 23 and 25 attached to a stationary pump and drying chamber may be connected with each crypt of the mausoleum. After the body has been thoroughly desiccated the drying receptacles 7 may be removed and the temporary closure 15 replaced by a permanent closure which efiectually seals the casket and maintains the body in a state of preservation. It will be manifestthatmy improved apparatus contemplates the complete desiccation of the body without permitting any of the gases or moisture to escape to the atmosphere thereby precluding the pollution ofthe surrounding air or the transmission of infectious or contagious diseases.

\Vhile' I have shown and described one preferred embodiment of my invention: it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the details of construction shown and described are capable of considerable modification and variation Within the scope of the invention as set forth in the followingclaiins.

Iclaim:

1. In a desiccating apparatus, the com-' bination of a casket, a perforated support for'thebody arranged Within said casket, a receptacle for drying material disposed beneath said support, and means for permitting overflow of liquid from said recep- I tacle without admitting air to the casket.

2. In a desiccating apparatus, the combination of a casket adapted tocontain the body to be desiccated,a perforated. support, spaced from the bottom of the casket, upon which the body is supported, an opening-in 1 the end of the casket beneath said support, and a temporary closure for said opening provided with an inlet pipe-terminating adjacent the opposite end of the casket-and: an outlet pipe terminating just inside said closure.

'3. Ina desiccating apparatus, the combination of a casket a receptacle adapted to contain drying material disposed within said casket, an air pump and a drying chamber disposed outside the casket, a pipe leading fromthe casket tosaid pump through which air is Withdrawn from thecasket, and a pipe leading from said-drying chamber to the casket through which air is-admitted toithe casket, the exhaust of :said pump being delivered to said drying chambenwhereby a closed circulation of air through the casket and the. drying chamber is maintained abyw the pump.

4. In a desiccatingapparatus, the combination of a casket, a receptacle for drying material located in the bottom of said casket, a body support disposed above said receptacle, a closed container for receiving overflow liquids from the drying receptacle, and means whereby the liquid from said drying receptacle may be drawn ofi into said container.

5.. In a. desiccating apparatus, the combination of a casket, a drying receptacle located in the bottom thereof, an overflow pipe leading from said receptacle, ,a container arranged 1 to receive the overflow liquids fromsaid pipe, a drying-chamber located outside the casket, a pipe for delivering displaced air from said receptacle into saiddryingchamber, said pipe being provided with a liquid seal, a pump, and connections whereby a closed circulation of air may be maintained through said casket and said drying chamber. 1 r

drying chamber to the casket through which air is admitted to the casket, and a pipe connected to deliver the exhaust from saidpump to said drying chamber whereby a closed circulation of air through the casket and the drying chamber is maintained by the pump.

7. In a desiccating apparatus, the combination of a casket, a perforated support spaced from the bottom of the casket and adapted to support the body to be desiccated, an air pump and a drying chamber disposed outside of the casket, a drying material disposed in said drying chamber, a pipe leading from the casket to said pump through Which air is Withdrawn from the casket, a pipe leading from said drying chamber to the casket through Which air is admitted to the casket, and a pipe connecting the exhaust of said pump with said drying chamber whereby a closed circula-' tion of air through the casket and the drying chamber is maintained by the pump.

8. In a desiccating apparatus, the combination of a casket adapted to contain the body, a drying material :disposed within said casket, a drying chamber disposed Without said casket and communicating therewith, a drying material in said drying j chamber, and means for producinga closed circulation of air between said drying chamber and the interior of said casket.

WILLIAM R. CLAYTON.

Witnesses:

RAY E. MORTON, W. A. MoR'roN.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). O. 

